What inspired you to work for Give and Surf?
My inspiration for working with Give & Surf comes from a lifelong belief that everyone deserves opportunity, connection, and the chance to thrive.
After 20 years working with children, families and communities, I’m passionate about work that creates genuine, lasting impact. Give & Surf feels special because it brings together the things I care most about: education, relationships, community and the belief that change is strongest when it grows from within.
My time with Give & Surf has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve loved being welcomed into the community, learning from others and seeing how small moments of connection can have a lasting impact. It’s work that feels purposeful, joyful, and deeply human.
A jungle and waterfall team hike
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Come with an open heart, an open mind, and a willingness to embrace whatever the experience brings.
Pack cool, comfortable clothes in natural fabrics — you’ll be very grateful for them!
Bring patience, curiosity, and a good sense of humor, because things won’t always happen the way you expect them to, and that’s part of the adventure.
Be adaptable and ready for dynamic problem-solving; sometimes the smallest details matter, and good attention to detail can make a huge difference.
Listen more than you speak, learn from the community, and respect that there may be very different ways of doing things.
Most importantly, remember that you are there not only to contribute, but to support the volunteers around you. For many, it may be their first time living away from home, and being met with empathy, kindness, encouragement, and a little patience can make all the difference.
Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, make mistakes, or laugh at yourself. Leave your assumptions at home, be present, build genuine relationships, and allow yourself to be changed by the people and place you encounter. The experience will give you as much as you give.
Me, volunteers and kids at the Bastimentos Centre
Why should someone choose Give and Surf over competitors?
I chose Give & Surf because it felt like an organization where the impact is genuine, community-led, and built around relationships. I was drawn to the way education, community development, and meaningful connection come together, creating opportunities for volunteers to contribute while also learning from and becoming part of the communities they work alongside.
Having spent much of my career supporting children, families and communities, I wanted to be involved with an organization whose values aligned with my own — one that recognizes that sustainable change comes through partnership, trust, and respect rather than simply arriving with answers. Give & Surf offered that balance of purpose, connection, and adventure that really appealed to me.
I also valued the support of the leadership team and the opportunity to grow, develop new skills, and bring my own unique strengths, experience, and talents to the role. I appreciated being trusted to contribute in my own way while still having guidance and encouragement when needed.
Ultimately, I chose Give & Surf because it felt like somewhere I could make a meaningful contribution while continuing to learn myself. The warmth of the community, the commitment of the team, and the opportunity to support volunteers through an experience that can be genuinely transformative made it stand out. It felt less like choosing a volunteering placement and more like choosing to become part of something I truly believed in.
A team beach day
What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
Give & Surf offers something really special: the opportunity to do genuinely meaningful, challenging work while being immersed in an incredible community and environment. You’re not just volunteering and leaving — you become part of something.
Bocas del Toro is extraordinary, with abundant nature, beautiful beaches, a welcoming and open community, and a surprisingly vibrant food, cultural and social scene. There is always something to explore and plenty of adventure when you’re not working.
But for me, what truly sets Give & Surf apart is the people. The community you become part of, the relationships you build, and the sense that your contribution genuinely matters make the experience incredibly rewarding. It’s a beautiful balance of purpose, connection, challenge, adventure and fun — and an experience that stays with you long after you leave.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope participants leave Give & Surf feeling richer for having truly immersed themselves in a community and culture different from their own.
Having worked alongside many volunteers and groups, I’ve seen the moment when people begin to understand the depth of what genuine cultural immersion and connection can mean. I hope their experience makes them more compassionate, curious, and thoughtful, and inspires them to become active in creating a better world wherever they are.
I always tell volunteers that the energy they bring makes the work of Give & Surf more powerful. They leave behind far more than the hours they volunteer — they leave their energy, their interest, their interactions, their relationships and, ultimately, a little piece of their hearts. I hope they take that sense of connection with them, and that it continues to shape how they see and engage with the world.
A happy group after dinner picture
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
I believe travel is one of the greatest opportunities we have to step outside what we know and genuinely connect with people whose lives and experiences may be different from our own. I’ve traveled extensively, but the experiences that have stayed with me are those where I’ve been able to immerse myself rather than simply pass through. Experiencing another culture with openness and curiosity challenges our assumptions, broadens our perspective, and reminds us how much we have in common.
For me, truly responsible travel is about more than seeing beautiful places — it’s about contributing to the communities we visit, building genuine relationships, and being part of a place rather than simply consuming it.
The greatest gift of travel is the perspective it gives us. It can make us more compassionate, curious and connected, and inspire us to think about our own place in the wider world. Travel at its best doesn’t just change where we go; it changes how we see the world and how we choose to show up in it.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
For me, meaningful travel is about much more than seeing somewhere beautiful. It’s about being curious enough to step outside your own experience, building genuine relationships, and allowing yourself to be changed by the people and communities you encounter.
The most meaningful experiences I’ve had have been when I’ve felt part of a place rather than simply a visitor to it — when I’ve been able to contribute something of myself while also learning from others.
I believe travel is at its most powerful when it is reciprocal: when we give our time, energy and skills, but remain open to receiving new perspectives, friendships and understanding in return. Meaningful travel leaves something behind in the community, but it also leaves something within you. For me, that is the real gift of travel.
